Estimated expenditure on R&D carried out in Australia by the higher education sector in 1998 was $2,603m, an increase of 13% over expenditure in 1996, and 28% over expenditure in 1995 (see table 25.1).
Table 25.11 shows that the fields of research in which most higher education R&D expenditure took place in 1998 were Medical and health sciences ($592m, or 23% of total expenditure), Social sciences ($507m, or 19%), Biological sciences ($312m, or 12%) and the Humanities ($198m, or 8%). Direct labour costs accounted for 47% of total R&D expenditure.
A slightly different pattern applied to human resources devoted to R&D, with 24% on the Social sciences, 19% on Medical and health sciences, 12% on the Humanities and 11% on Biological sciences.
25.11 HIGHER EDUCATION ORGANISATIONS, R&D Resources by Field of Research - 1998
|
| | Type of expenditure | |
 |
| |
| Field of research | Land and
buildings
$m | Other
capital
expenditure
$m | Direct
labour
costs
$m | Scholarships
$m | Other
current
expenditure
$m | Total
$m | Human
resources
’000
person
years |
|
| Natural sciences, technologies and engineering - | | | | | | | |
| - Mathematical sciences | 0.2 | 2.3 | 31.9 | 3.0 | 25.6 | 63.1 | 1.0 |
| - Physical sciences | 1.8 | 10.3 | 46.3 | 3.9 | 44.2 | 106.5 | 1.4 |
| - Chemical sciences | 1.7 | 12.2 | 50.2 | 8.6 | 48.3 | 121.0 | 1.9 |
| - Earth sciences | 1.2 | 8.6 | 50.1 | 6.2 | 46.9 | 113.0 | 1.9 |
| - Information, computers and communication technologies | 1.3 | 10.8 | 65.7 | 8.5 | 52.9 | 139.2 | 2.3 |
| - Applied sciences and technologies | 1.3 | 10.5 | 42.2 | 7.5 | 37.3 | 98.8 | 1.7 |
| - General engineering | 2.8 | 14.7 | 80.8 | 12.9 | 71.0 | 182.3 | 2.8 |
| - Biological sciences | 5.5 | 22.6 | 135.6 | 16.6 | 131.6 | 311.8 | 4.9 |
| - Agricultural sciences | 1.5 | 8.4 | 70.5 | 10.8 | 79.5 | 170.7 | 2.7 |
| - Medical and health sciences | 6.1 | 27.6 | 277.7 | 23.4 | 257.6 | 592.4 | 8.5 |
| - Total natural sciences, technologies and engineering | 23.4 | 128.1 | 851.0 | 101.2 | 795.0 | 1,898.7 | 29.0 |
| Social sciences and humanities - | | | | | | | |
| - Social sciences | 8.2 | 13.1 | 265.7 | 22.0 | 197.5 | 506.5 | 10.9 |
| - Humanities | 3.2 | 4.3 | 102.5 | 15.9 | 71.6 | 197.5 | 5.6 |
| - Total social sciences and humanities | 11.4 | 17.4 | 368.2 | 37.9 | 269.1 | 704.0 | 16.5 |
| Total | 34.8 | 145.5 | 1,219.3 | 139.1 | 1,064.1 | 2,602.7 | 45.5 |
|
| Source: Research and Experimental Development, Higher Education Organisations, Australia (8111.0). |
In terms of socioeconomic objectives (table 25.12), most higher education R&D expenditure ($1,094m or 42%) was directed towards Advancement of knowledge. About 27% was directed towards Society, 23% towards Economic development, and 7% towards Environment. The major subdivision within Society was Health with 19% of total R&D expenditure.
A similar pattern applied to human resources devoted to R&D, with 45% directed towards Advancement of knowledge, 26% towards Society, 22% towards Economic development, and 7% to Environment.
25.12 HIGHER EDUCATION ORGANISATIONS, R&D Resources by Socioeconomic Objective - 1998
|
| | Type of expenditure | |
|
| |
| Socioeconomic objective | Land and buildings
$m | Other
capital
expenditure
$m | Direct
labour
costs
$m | Scholarships
$m | Other
current
expenditure
$m | Total
$m | Human
resources
’000
person
years |
|
| Defence | - | 0.3 | 2.7 | 0.2 | 2.5 | 5.8 | 0.1 |
| Economic development - | | | | | | | |
| - Plant - production and primary products | 0.9 | 4.6 | 38.2 | 5.2 | 45.3 | 94.2 | 1.4 |
| - Animal - production and primary products | 0.5 | 2.6 | 27.1 | 4.1 | 30.4 | 64.7 | 1.0 |
| - Mineral resources (excl. energy) | 0.3 | 2.2 | 13.2 | 2.0 | 16.1 | 33.7 | 0.4 |
| - Energy resources | 0.1 | 1.5 | 6.8 | 1.0 | 6.9 | 16.3 | 0.3 |
| - Energy supply | - | 1.3 | 10.4 | 1.5 | 8.8 | 22.0 | 0.3 |
| - Manufacturing | 1.8 | 11.6 | 49.4 | 8.4 | 45.8 | 117.0 | 1.8 |
| - Construction | 1.3 | 2.3 | 19.9 | 2.6 | 13.6 | 39.7 | 0.7 |
| - Transport | 0.2 | 1.3 | 7.0 | 1.0 | 5.6 | 15.1 | 0.3 |
| - Information and communication services | 0.7 | 3.3 | 32.2 | 3.4 | 25.0 | 64.6 | 1.1 |
| - Commercial services | 0.7 | 0.6 | 14.8 | 1.2 | 10.3 | 27.6 | 0.4 |
| - Economic framework | 1.4 | 2.9 | 57.3 | 4.9 | 42.7 | 109.2 | 2.2 |
| - Total economic development | 7.9 | 34.2 | 276.2 | 35.2 | 250.5 | 604.0 | 10.0 |
| Society - | | | | | | | |
| - Health | 4.9 | 18.6 | 243.7 | 20.3 | 219.3 | 506.7 | 7.3 |
| - Education and training | 1.5 | 2.9 | 58.2 | 4.2 | 41.4 | 108.3 | 2.6 |
| - Social development and community services | 1.8 | 2.5 | 48.0 | 3.1 | 40.0 | 95.3 | 1.8 |
| - Total society | 8.2 | 24.0 | 349.9 | 27.6 | 300.6 | 710.2 | 11.8 |
| Environment - | | | | | | | |
| - Environmental knowledge | 2.1 | 6.9 | 53.9 | 6.0 | 51.1 | 119.9 | 2.1 |
| - Environmental aspects of economic development | 0.5 | 1.5 | 16.1 | 2.3 | 13.9 | 34.2 | 0.6 |
| - Environmental management and other aspects | 0.5 | 1.4 | 15.5 | 1.9 | 15.1 | 34.4 | 0.6 |
| - Total environment | 3.1 | 9.8 | 85.5 | 10.1 | 80.1 | 188.5 | 3.3 |
| Advancement of knowledge - | | | | | | | |
| - Natural sciences, technologies and engineering | 10.7 | 69.0 | 338.1 | 43.1 | 312.2 | 773.1 | 11.9 |
| - Social sciences and humanities | 5.0 | 8.1 | 166.9 | 22.9 | 118.2 | 321.0 | 8.5 |
| - Total advancement of knowledge | 15.6 | 77.1 | 505.0 | 66.0 | 430.4 | 1,094.1 | 20.4 |
| Total | 34.8 | 145.5 | 1,219.3 | 139.1 | 1,064.1 | 2,602.7 | 45.5 |
|
| Source: Research and Experimental Development, Higher Education Organisations, Australia (8111.0). |
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